Thursday, February 5, 2009

GOD BE WITH YOU TILL WE MEET AGAIN

GOD BE WITH YOU TILL WE MEET AGAIN – EMHB 914

Author: Dr. Jeremiah Eames Rankin (1828-1904)

Tune: (i) William Gould Tomer (1832-1896)
(ii) Ralp Vaughan Williams Randolph

Introduction:

This is a very sentimental Hymn traditionally sung at partings and farewells, it never failed to bring a lump to the throat. The Author Dr. Rankin was a congregational minister and president of Howard University Washington D.C. He wrote this Hymn in 1882, basing it on the etymology of the word “goodbye” which is a shortened form of “God be with you”.

The Hymn was first sung at the First Congregational Church in Washington where Rankin was a minister, and it was immediately popular. He himself attributed its popularity largely to the tune to which it was sung, which had been composed by Williams Gould Tomer (1832-1896).

Rankin had sent the first verse of the Hymn to two composers, one nationally known, and the other unknown Tomer, a former soldier in the civil war and clerk in the US Treasury Department who had taken up school teaching. Tomer’s tune also known as God be with you, was for long favoured by British Non-Conformists, but Anglicans have largely rejected it in favour of Ralp V. W. Randolph. The latter is undoubtedly more sophisticated. But Tomer’s tune sentimentality goes down well with Rankin’s words.

Several schools also use this Hymn at its end of term services.

EMHB 914

1. God be with you till we meet again,
By His counsels guide, uphold you,
With His sheep securely fold you:
God be with you till we meet again.

2. God be with you till we meet again,
‘Neath His wings protecting hide you,
Daily manna still provide you:
God be with you till we meet again.

3. God be with you till we meet again,
When life’s perils thick confound you,
Put His arms unfailing round you:
God be with you till we meet again.

4. God be with you till we meet again,
Keep love’s banner floating o’er you,
Smite death’s threatening wave before you:
God be with you till we meet again!
Adesegun Akitoye


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